| 04/02/2007 AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATIONS |
| Related Document: SB-AffordableAccom.pdf |
FROM VINTAGE VICTORIANS TO SPANISH-STYLE HACIENDAS, SANTA BARBARA SPORTS A UNIQUE ROUND-UP OF AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATIONS SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Long known as a luxury hideaway with its glistening palm-lined beaches, signature Spanish Mediterranean-style architecture and lush vegetation, Santa Barbara is also home to a diverse selection of affordable and unique accommodations. The city is renowned for its line-up of 15 historic bed-and-breakfast inns, celebrity-owned properties and funky outposts. A ripe time to cash in on the best hotel deals is value season (September – March) when the tariff drops up to 20 percent. BED-AND-BREAKFAST BETS One block from Santa Barbara’s East Beach is the Old Yacht Club Inn, sporting 12 rooms in two historic California Mission Craftsman buildings; the main building (1912) was the Santa Barbara Yacht Club. Also Santa Barbara’s first B&B, the Old Yacht Club Inn features four-poster beds, classic early American and European antiques, plenty of floral prints, wainscoting and an expansive porch set off with a white picket fence. An added plus is the trolley stop across the street; the informative Old Town Trolley Tour loops the city. In the “Not Your Grandmother’s Inn” category is the Secret Garden Inn and Cottages, a soothing hideaway tucked along Bath Street. Inspired by its French owner, this meandering, simply-accented inn is ideal for travelers seeking more space than fluff. Two rooms comprise the main house; nine cottage rooms are strewn throughout the garden (five with private decks and hot tubs). All rooms are named after birds and many feature French doors and claw-foot tubs. Morning breakfasts have a French flair with fresh croissants and quiche. In the evening, cocktail hour focuses on French wines and a selection of word-class cheeses. For the artist in residence, monthly artist showings are staged in the gardens on weekends. In the heart of downtown, the Upham Hotel is a unique mix of bed and breakfast paired with the perks of a full-service hotel. The 50-room Italianate inn was built in 1871. Set in grays and hunter green, the Upham’s seven lodging structures are gracefully strewn around one acre of incredible gardens. The cottage-style lodgings feature patios, fireplaces, a breakfast buffet and adjoining restaurant – Louie’s – to which foodies burn a path for the filet of salmon and mussels. A bevy of hard-to-find local wines are also on tap. Across the street on De la Vina, just two blocks from downtown, the Upham’s sister property is a perfect bet for travelers seeking an intimate getaway. The Tiffany Country House is a classic bed and breakfast with seven rooms set in an 1890s Craftsman-style home. This ultimate escape is the locale for visitors who want to feel as though they never left their urban abode. From California Craftsman to Victorian era, the White Jasmine Inn offers an eclectic mix of lodgings in a tranquil residential setting. This meandering property seems to have a lock on this neighborhood, converting six elegant homes into affordable lodgings next door and across the street. Located on Bath Street, the blue-on-blue Craftsman Bungalow (1906) features six guestrooms, ranging from a Nouveau Luxury Suite (complete with a Franklin-stove fireplace, claw-foot tub and brick patio with hot tub) to The Craftsman (an ideal sleep for those on the masculine side, with its ornate dark walnut paneling, antique bed and furnishings). Go ask Alice...the Cheshire Cat Inn is one of the city’s most beautiful bed-and-breakfast inns if not solely for its English gardens flush with delphiniums, garden roses, foxglove and hollyhock marking the entrance. Two graceful Victorian homes, built in 1894, feature 17 exquisitely-decorated guestrooms, all named after the English classic, Alice in Wonderland. Not your typical floral and fluff bed-and-breakfast, this property is aesthetically clean and knick-knack free. The owner is from Cheshire and has gone to great lengths to make this property a true find. Antiques were shipped from England, wallpapers and draperies are Laura Ashley and flowers and fountain-filled patios bedeck the open spaces. “The ultimate for romantics” is the Tweedledum Suite, with a king brass bed, in-room Jacuzzi, oak beams and floor, English antiques, a wet bar and a gas-burning fireplace. Breakfast is definitely gourmet, served on Wedgewood china. A full spa is also on tap, providing facials, healing body wraps and six types of massage. INTIMATE INNS Straight out of a Santa Barbara postcard, the Villa Rosa is the epitome of the American Riviera®. Tucked away on Chapala Street just half a block walk from popular East Beach, the Villa Rosa’s soft pink Mediterranean-style façade and requisite red tile roof is reminiscent of a private estate. Once inside, the interior courtyard with broad archways and sprawling bougainvillea houses a swimming pool, hot tub and plenty of tanning space. The inn’s 18 rooms are simply decorated and many afford stunning ocean, harbor and mountain views and fireplaces. Possibly one of the best deals in town, the Villa Rosa keeps guests going with afternoon wine and cheese and a lovely port and sherry nightcap. Special touches include a fresh rose and Belgian chocolates at turndown. Casa Del Mar Inn is ground zero for families with tykes in tow. Minutes from the Pacific, Stearns Wharf, West Beach and Santa Barbara Harbor, this “House by the Sea” offers true Mediterranean style in both form and function. From the whitewashed and blue-trimmed façade to the quaint interior courtyard, flowering gardens and meandering pathways, this 21-room inn combines the intimacy of a bed-and-breakfast with the privacy of a small hotel. Packed with family perks, the inn’s one- and two-room suites leave room to spare. Kitchenettes, microwaves, refrigerators and coffee-makers kick the morning off without a hitch. Many rooms also feature pull out sleeper sofas, fireplaces and balconies. Upscale continental breakfast and evening wine and cheese service are included. Travelers who enjoy trekking around town without toting the car tap into the friendly Franciscan Inn, just one block from the beach and two blocks from downtown Santa Barbara’s historic Amtrak station. With 53 rooms, a heated pool and Jacuzzi and the Pacific nearby, this inn offers the right Rx for sheer relaxation, Santa Barbara-style. The Spanish Mediterranean façade is offset by lush foliage and sprawling bougainvillea. Families will appreciate the spacious suites equipped with kitchenettes for packing your own culinary cache. Guests can kick off a day of play with a complimentary continental breakfast. Afternoons melt into evening with a warm round of house-made chocolate chip cookies. For added pleasure, board the Old Town Trolley for an excursion to the city’s key sites. Another cute find is the Inn by the Harbor on Montecito Street. Nestled within tropical gardens just three blocks from Santa Barbara Harbor, this 42-room property is ideal for travelers who like an easy trek around town. Slip into traditional Spanish-Colonial-style architecture, inlaid tiled staircases, white adobe design and wrought iron embellishments bedecked with vibrant pink bougainvillea. An added plus are the 23 rooms stocked with full kitchens for the chef-by-the-sea. Scouting State Street, Santa Barbara’s “main street,” is easy with a stay at historic Hotel Santa Barbara.Built in 1926, this classic, 56-room inn exudes the charm and simplicity of the 20s. The four-story decorative façade is offset by a welcoming awning. Inside, the airy lobby offers natural lighting, classic Ionic pillars and original hand-painted tiles adorning the winding staircase. Step out the front door into the heart of the action, with restaurants, shopping, nightlife and the beach within an easy walk. Every Tuesday, in front of the hotel, State Street morphs into a bustling European-style farmers market, showcasing locally grown goods from stunning orchids to melons and mint. The Hotel Oceana Santa Barbara is making waves around town, thanks to its prime beachfront location and refreshing renovation. The 122-room hotel meanders through a series of gardens and greenbelts along Cabrillo Boulevard. Instant views include the Harbor with 1,000+ pleasure crafts, historic Stearns Wharf and the Channel Islands. Interior designer Kathryn Ireland spun the rooms into a delightful palette of celadon, blue, red or yellow, incorporating her fabrics and signature design style. Reminiscent of its sister property in Santa Monica, this full-service boutique hotel comes equipped with two-line telephones with dataport, high speed internet access, a full stocked minibar and CD player with a few of the general manager’s favorites on hand. Sprawling decks, a courtyard terrace, pool and fitness facility round out the perks. Legend has it that in 1928 silent film star Charlie Chaplin built the Montecito Inn to cater to Hollywood’s “A” list. No doubt, this modern European-style charmer is a rare find. Holding court on elegant Coast Village Road in Montecito, a stay here provides a great home base for scouting the line-up of trendy boutiques and sidewalk bistros lining the upscale street. Sixty rooms and suites, all set in French Provencal style, blend such modern day amenities as voice mail and dataports. Beach lovers will appreciate the quick access to Butterfly Beach. Another plus is the excellent restaurant on site, the Montecito Grill, and adjoining piano bar where celebrities occasionally can be spotted pounding the ivories. It’s not top of the line, but the original Motel 6 offers its own slice of pop culture history. Opened in 1962, this icon of Spartan travel is located just one block from one of the city’s top beaches and biking promenades – East Beach. Deemed one of “America’s 10 Best Bargain Resorts” in Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, the two-story motel is a study in understatement with a beige and celadon façade offset with a small pool and birds of paradise flanking the entrance. Rooms are simple and clean and the clientele runs from families on a budget to young couples cashing in on a Santa Barbara tan without breaking the bank. Originally $6.00 a night, today rates at this property are the chain’s highest west of the Mississippi, starting at $79.99/double. Don’t expect to slide right in, however. Weekend reservations are usually three months out. “Resort camping” is the buzzword for the 45-acre, privately-owned El Capitan Canyon, located just 20 miles north of Santa Barbara at the base of the rugged Santa Ynez Mountains. City slickers will appreciate the Deluxe Safari Tent, a comfortable and spacious (12 x 14 ft.) white canvas tent complete with a queen bed, linens, table and chairs. A scaled-down Adventure Safari Tent, sans le bed, is also available. For the true urban adventurist, the Canyon Cabins offer beds, linens, electricity and a private low-impact bathroom and shower. Sybarites can soothe their souls with licensed massage therapists on call to dole out full body and barefoot therapy to keep those hiking treks in order. Visit santabarbaraCA.com for travel information and to book accommodation. See “Hot Deals” for current discounts and packages. For a free copy of the official Santa Barbara County Visitors Guide, contact the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission at 800/927-4688, 805/966-9222 or tourism@santabarbaraCA.com.
### 4/2007 |
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